Big Brother's Propaganda

Big brother maintains control through propaganda. Because the public are never sure whether they are being watched at any time, majority tend to behave obediently at all times. The Party is able to effectively control the public through this uncertainty and through the widespread symbols of Big Brother’s watchful face. The warmth of his name suggests his ability to protect although he is an open threat as one cannot escape his gaze. Big Brother also symbolises the vagueness with which the high ranks of the Party present themselves. It is impossible to know who really rules Oceania, what the life is like for the rulers or why the act the way they do. Winston believes Big Brother emerged around 1960 although the Party’s official records say he merged in 1930, before Winston was born. By the Party
Goldstein is the leader of his opponents, the Brotherhood. Big Brother and Emmanuel Goldstein are similar in that Orwell does not make clear whether they actually exist. Orwell gave Emmanuel Goldstein a traditionally Jewish name that is suggestive of the power structure in WW2, Emmanuel literally means “God”. Two Minutes hate is a daily period in which Party members of the society must watch a film depicting the Party’s enemies (mainly Emmanuel Goldstein and his followers) and express their hated for them in two minutes. Hate week was designed to increase the hatred for the current enemy of the Party as much as possible. It is celebrated in late summer and events include waxwork displays, military parades, speeches and lectures. Slogans are even more heavily promoted and songs are written. Xenophobia is the fear of the outside world, as seen in 1984, allowing for minority groups or people from other counties such as Eurasia and EastAsia and Goldstein to be used as scapegoats and displayed as the